The Takeaway

The Debate Over Felon Disenfranchisement

The debate over felon disenfranchisement is playing out across the country, where a patchwork map of state laws means things look different in Maine than they do in Iowa or in Wisconsin.

First Licensed Vaccine to Immunize Children in Three Malaria-Endemic Countries 

Children in Malawi began to be immunized against malaria with the world's first licensed vaccine this week.

Indie Superhero Movies Face Off Against Blockbusters at the Box Office

"Avengers: Endgame" is expected to make more than $260 million this weekend. "Fast Color," an indie superhero movie that centers around women of color, has struggled to find an audience.

Can Social Security Be Saved?

A new report has extended Social Security's lifetime by one year, but the program is still on track to become insolvent in 2035.

US Companies Turn Back to Saudis Months After Khashoggi Killing

Just six months after Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was, according to U.S. intelligence agencies, assassinated by Saudi Arabia, American businesses are starting to return.

Sri Lanka Attacks Highlight Continuing Threat From ISIS-Inspired Actors

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Sri Lanka that have killed at least 300 people.

Guests:

Nancy Altman

Michael de la Merced

Rukmini Callimachi

Series of Deadly Suicide Bombings in Sri Lanka Target Churches and Hotels

On Sunday, a series of coordinated bombings in Sri Lanka killed more than 250 people. Three of the attacks were carried out at churches.

He Shot Her and Will Soon Be Able to Own a Gun Again. On the Fight to Close the 'Boyfriend Loophole.'

"If there were controls in place that had closed the loophole on him...he would not have been able to inflict as much harm as he did, that his behavior would have been hastened."

After Gun Violence, School Principals Rely on Others Who've Experienced that Same Trauma

School principals dealing with gun violence in their classrooms are relying on the support of others who have already walked that path.

Guests: 

Emily Schmall

Neil DeVotta

Sarah D. Wire

Courtney Weaver

Andy Fetchik

George Roberts

It’s been a long (almost) two years but the Special Counsel’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, possible coordination between the Trump Campaign and Russia, and obstruction of justice has reached its final culmination. The redacted report was released on Thursday. The end.

Or is it just the beginning?

Well, like a lot of things...it’s both.

Katie Benner, a Justice Department reporter at The New York Times, discusses the new and revealing pieces of the redacted Mueller report and if Robert Mueller did anything that sets precedent for the next special counsel. Nicholas Fandos, who covers Congress for the New York Times, brings us up to speed on the investigations that are being conducted by several congressional committees. 

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi is the Democratic representative from Illinois’s 8th congressional district. He also serves on two key congressional committees with their own investigations into President Donald Trump: The Committee on Oversight and Reform and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. We talk to him about how those investigations will or won’t change now that we have the redacted Mueller report. 

For a conservative take on the redacted Mueller report, we speak to Noah Rothman, a political commentator, and editor at Commentary.

Finally, what impact could the release of the redacted Mueller report have on Donald Trump and his presidency? We talk to Carrie Dann, a politics editor at NBC, who has been analyzing what impact the Mueller investigation has had on public opinion. 

The Mueller Report: What We Know So Far

Initial analysis from reporter Max Kutner and legal expert Caroline Fredrickson.

Congressman Jamie Raskin: Immediate Thoughts on Redacted Mueller Report

The Democrat from Maryland joins us to discuss his immediate thoughts.

William Barr has a History of Withholding Key Information from Congress

In 1989, he provided a summary that gave cover to President George H.W. Bush's abduction of Manuel Noriega from Panama.

Guests:

Max Kutner

Caroline Fredrickson 

Congressman Jamie Raskin

Ryan Goodman

Measles Cases Continue to Grow. Here's How We Got Here.

Public health, freedom of religion and politics converge in the history of fighting over vaccinations. 

In Indonesian Elections, it's Fake News Vs. Ballot Truths

Nearly 200 million Indonesians will be able to vote across 17,000 islands on Wednesday, making for the world's largest single-day election.  

Death Penalty for People With Mental Illness: Should It Be Banned?

Should people living with mental illness face the death penalty?

Guests:

Gwynne Hogan 

Arthur Caplan 

Rebecca Henschke

Maurice Chammah

The Challenges Women of Color Have Faced in Politics and Beyond

Republicans have taken Rep. Omar's comments out of context, while Democrats have been lackluster in their defense.

The Notre Dame Cathedral Fire: What it Means for France and the World

The world watched as the devastating fire engulfed the cathedral on Monday. But the pain of its damage goes well beyond Paris.

Facial Recognition Surveillance Targets Uighur Minority in China 

This is the first instance of a government using AI for the explicit purpose of racial profiling, according to reporting from The New York Times. 

Stop & Shop Workers Go on Strike

31,000 workers have been on strike since last Thursday, leaving 240 stores understaffed or closed altogether. 

Guests:

Congresswoman Donna Edwards

Professor Andrea Benjamin

Carol Krinsky

Paul Mozur

Jennifer Klein

Burning of Three Black Churches Serves as Reminder of Racism's Continuing Legacy

The churches were all burned in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, over the course of ten days in March.

Congress Investigates the High Cost of Insulin

The price of insulin has nearly tripled in the last decade. Congress is now investigating why.

An Uncertain Path Forward for Transgender Troops

On Friday, the Trump administration banned transgender people from openly enlisting in the military. Advocates say this marks a return to "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" for transgender troops.

Guests:

Dr. Ibram X Kendi

Dr. Randal Maurice Jelks

Robin Feldman

Aaron Belkin

Blake Dremann

On February 1st, the start of Black History month, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker announced he was running for president. Since then, he’s been on the campaign trail and announced that he raised $5 million. This weekend, he makes his official hometown kick off of his Justice for all Tour in Newark and then heads immediately to Iowa.

Amy Walter got the chance to sit down with Senator Booker to discuss his campaign, the legislation he’s introduced in the Senate to form a commission to study the issue of reparations, and vision for the future.

Reparations has come up a lot recently as the Democratic candidates have been asked to weigh in on the issue. Earlier this week, Senator Cory Booker announced that he would introduce legislation, “to form a commission for the study of reparation proposals for African-Americans.” But the idea of reparations has a long history, Amy explores that with The Takeaway’s Tanzina Vega.

Plus, Amy talks to Rob O’Dell, from the Arizona Republic, about his two-year investigation with USA TODAY and the Center for Public Integrity. Over the past eight years, state lawmakers have introduced at least 10,000 bills that were written, almost entirely, by corporations, industry groups, or think tanks. O'Dell helped create the algorithm that led to this discovery, and he says these numbers are just the tip of the iceberg.

To end the hour, Amy talks to Allison Anderman, the Managing Attorney at the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, about how lobbying works, in practice. 

In response to Allison Anderman’s comments about what she calls “the corporate gun lobby,” we reached out to The Second Amendment Foundation, and to the NRA.